Dave McGillivray spent seven years mapping out the runners-friendly course that landed the city the women’s marathon trials for the U.S. Olympic team.
The Olympic trials and Boston Marathon race director received a unanimous vote of approval from the elite Americans who will compete this morning. The top three finishers will represent the United States in the 2008 Beijing Games.
“I’m very happy with the way the conditions have been set up because it will promote a really fast race,” said Waltham-born Deena Kastor, who won the bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Games and is the prohibitive favorite for today’s race. “I think that’s good for everybody. I’m excited about this course because it’s created for a more honest team.
“I think we can give the crowd a straightforward and quick Olympic trials race. I think we have a great course for the athletes as well as the spectators.”
The only things that the trials course and the traditional Boston Marathon route have in common are that they are 26.2 miles long and end on Boylston Street. The trials will begin in front of the Hines Convention Center, circle the Boston Common and Public Gardens, reverse course on Commonwealth Avenue, traverse the Mass. Ave. Bridge and loop around Memorial Drive before returning to Copley Square.
Most of the course will be flat. The only unpredictable variant will be the direction and strength of any wind that crops up this morning.
“We decided to think about something a little bit more flat and fast and that’s why we came up with what we did,” McGillivray said. “This has been quite an event for us and it’s been seven years plus in the making. It is still 26.2 miles that you have to do. But there’s a prestige to this event and we take that seriously.
“We have really aspired to create as flawless an event as we can produce. We went through a lot of pains to design a course and manage it for these great athletes.”
All of the prerace favorites have backgrounds better suited for a course of this design. Unlike their international sisters who will be contending with Heartbreak Hill tomorrow, the vast majority of Americans began their careers as speed-influenced cross-country runners and track performers.
Elva Dryer of Colorado has competed in the past two Olympics in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter events. Maine’s Emily LeVan was a long sprinter at Bowdoin College. Michelle Lilienthal of Minneapolis is the only one among the favorites who is a career road racer.
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